Leander edmund whipple



L. E. WHIPPLE.

RAILROAD TIE.

No. 511,227. Patented Dec. 19, 1893.

lUNiTEo STATES PATENT @rrios,

LEANDER EDMUND lVlzliPPLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAILROAD-TEE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511,227, dated December 19, 1893.

Application filed March 17, 1893.

To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEANDER EDMUND lVHIPPLE, of NewiYork, county of New York, and State of New-York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Ties, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to metallic railroad ties of the character represented in the patent granted to me on thedthday of October, 1885, No. 327,848, in which is shown a sheet metal tie composed of a base plate and a top plate united by intervening plates of curved form in cross section, the edges of the intervening plates being embraced by flangesjon the edges of the base plate and top plate.

The present invention consists in various improvements in ties of this description designed to render the same strong and durable, and capable of withstanding without injury the severe strains and shocks to which they are subjected in practice; to prevent the creeping action of the ties and theirlateral end wise motion.

The invention also consists in the details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, represents a perspective view of a railroad tie having my invention embodied therein. Fig. 2, is a vertical cross section of the same on the line (1- -03.

Referring to the drawings, my improvedtie comprises a base plate 1,.a top plate 2, and two intermediate plates 3 of curved form in cross section, the edges of which are confined by flanges 4 on the base and top plate. The plates are formed of sheet metal, and are thickened at their edges as shown, so that the edges of the tie when the parts are assembled, will present a greater thickness of metal than the remaining portions, which arrangement will materially strengthen the tie at those portions which are in practice sub- ,iected to the greatest amount of wear. This construction of parts is also of advantage when bolts are employed as at 5, to secure the edges of theplates together, inasmuch as the extra thickness of metal at these points will counteract any weakening effect which might follow the formation of bolt holes. I

Serial No. 48 6 ,480. (No modeLl also propose to thickentheintermediate plates 3 at theircenters as at 6, formin g on each plate a rib with aflattened face, the arrangement being such that the faces of the ribs will abut when the plates are in position, the result being that they will afford a mutual support at the point where the greatest strain comes, which will prevent the parts from readily moving from a vertical position when the tie is subjected to diagonal strain. Further the formation of ribs at this point will afford a greater bearin g surface for the bolts, which may be employed to hold the plates together, or for attaching a rail fastening device such as is represented in my'application of even date'herewith, Serial No. 466,479.

Incident to the provision of a greater thickness of metal at the edges of the tie, the curved portions of the intermediate plates may be comparatively thin, which will insure a greater degree of elasticity to the tie.

The base plate 1 is corrugated transversely topresent projecting ribs, which entering the road bed, will effectually prevent the objectionable and well known creeping action of the tie. This base plate I prefer to form in sections located at intervals, in order that the weight of the tie may be reduced, and a firmer hold in the ballast afforded. In order that the tie may be prevented from moving endwise, I provide a vertical plate '7, which is applied to the end of the tie, and secured thereto by means of lips 8, extending at the outer sides of the intermediate plates 3, and riveted or otherwise firmly attached. The lower end of this plate extends below the base plate as shown, so that it will afford a resistance to the longitudinal movement of the tie. The plate may be further secured at its upper edge to the top plate by books 9, entering the same as shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a railroad tie the combination of a base plate, a top plate and two intervening plates, said plates having their edges thickened and secured together, substantially as described.

2. In a railroad tie the combination of a flanged top plate provided with thickened the base and top plates and providedbetween -.their ends with abutting ribs, substantially :In a railroad edgesa base plate and two intermediate plates sustained by the base plate and provided with a thickened upper edge seated within the flange of the top plate, substantially as described. p

3. In a railroad tie the combination of a flanged base plate provided with thickened edges, a flanged top plate also provided with thickened edges, and the two intermediate plates provided with thickened edges seated within the flanges ot the base and top plates, substantially as described.

4. In a railroad tie the combination of a base plate, a top plate and two supporting plates secured at their: (edges respectively to asdescribed. t we:

tie the combination of a base platei-and top plate thickened at their edgesand provided-with flanges, andtwo intermediateteurved plates provided with a thickened edge seated within said flanges and having attheir centers abutting ribs formed with fiat faces, substantially as described.

6. In a sheet metal railway tie the combination with the top plate and side plates secured thereto, of the sheet metal base plate connected to the lower edges of the said plates ilnnnnnn EDMUND w'nirrtn.

Witnesses: i

Gnonsn GASTLIN,

C. A. DUGAN.

extending lon- 

